Fruit-evaporator.



Patented sept. 5, |899.

P. B. VIELE.

FRUIT EVAPORATOR.

(Application led Nov. 28, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PLATT VIELE, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FRU lT-EVAPO RATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,602, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed November Z8, 1898. Serial N o. 697,659. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PLATT B. VIELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of VNew York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Evaporat-ors, of which the following is a specification.

The chief object of my invention is to provide new and improved means for rapidly andV economically drying fruit toimprove its appearance and quality and preserve its natural iiavor without danger of discoloring, scorching, or otherwise damaging the saine.

The invention also has for its object to provide novel, simple, and efficient means whereby the fruit is iirst partially dried by the combined action of steam heat and air specially heated before entering the drying or evaporating apparatus, and the drying or evaporating is subsequently completed by steam heat alone, the hot air being entirely out off from the rack or support on which the sliced fruit is spread.

These objects are accomplished in the manner and by the new and improved apparatus hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation of the evaporating apparatus. Fig.v 2 is a plan of the drying-rack on which is placed the material to be treated. Fig. 3 isa horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line 4 4 of Fig. l.

The reference-numeral l designates an atmospheric-air heater supplied with steampipes to heat the air which is drawn through the heater over the steam-pipes by an air-suction apparatus composed of a fan 2, which also serves to constantly force the hot air into a hot-air box 3, extending continuously or unbrokenly beneath a series of heat-distributing chambers 4, erected side by side above the hot-air box and separated from each other. These heat-distributin g chambers 4 are adapted to communicate with the hot-air box 3 through open ings 5, formed in a horizontallyarranged partition 6, that constitutes the top of the hot-air box 8 and at the same time provides a bottom for the several heat-distributin chambers. The openings 5 are controlled by valves, dampers, or horizontally-movable slides 7, so that heated air can be admitted to any distributing-chamber 4 orbe cutoff therefrom independently of the other heat-distributing chambers, as required.

The heat-distributing chambers 4 are open at the top, except for a perforated or slatted frame 8, that forms the top of the apparatus and affords a rack for supporting the fruit while it 'is being evaporated. Bet-Ween the horizontal partition 6 and the slatted top or rack 8 are the vertical partitions 9, that separate the heat-distributing chambers.

There is extended through the heat-distributing chambers 4 a series of horizontallyarranged steam-pipes lO, that are situated below and adjacent to the slatted top or rack 8, on which the fruit is to be placed for evaporation: These pipes may be supplied with either live steam or exhaust-steam from any convenient source. Vhen the fruit is put onto the rack 8 for drying, it is first subjected to the full heat of the apparatus as supplied from the hot-air box 3 and the steampipes 1'0; but aftera partial drying or evaporation "of the fruit the dalnpers 7 can be closed and the dryingfinished by the heat from the steam-pipes 10, and in this way the fruit is not liable to be scorched or dried too much.

The steam-pipes l0 may connect at one end with a header ll, through which steam is received, and at the other end they may connect with a header l2 for the exhaust.

It is preferable to line the bottom and sides of the hot-air box 3 with asbestos 13, so as to make said box secure against fire when it is constructed of wood and also to prevent escape of heat through any opening of seams 'or joints due to shrinkage of the wood.

As soon as thefruit to be evaporated has been sliced I prefer to sprinkle it with granulated sugar. This will be dissolved by the fruit-juices and absorbed by the fruit, thus causing the fruit toretain its flavor and making the dried fruit more desirable. `The fruit is then spread out on the rack or slatted drying-frame 8, and the damper-s 7 are opened to permit the passage of hot air from the box 3 into the several heat-distributing chambers and thence throughout .the fruit. The distribution of heat to and throughout IOO the body of fruit is regulated by the opening of some of the dampers 7 and the closing of others. lVhen the hot-box 3 is cut oi'f from any heat-distributing chamber 4, the fruit directly above said chamber Will still be heated in some degree by the adjacent steampipes l0 and also through proximity to other portions of fruit from which heat has not yet been directly cutoff. Before the fruit is fully dry all the dampers 7 Will be closed, and the drying will be completed only by the heat of the steam-pipes. By evaporating fruit in this manner its desirable qualities will be retained and it will have a good color and liavor.

What I claim as my invention isl. A fruit-evaporator combiningin its structure a series of heat-distributing chambers arranged side by side and separated from one another, a fruit-support extended over all of the heat-distributing chambers, a continuous hot-air box extending horizontally under the said chambers and having in its top Wall a series of valve-controlled openings communicating respectively, with the chambers, an air-heater located outsidethe said hot-air box, a fan arranged between the airheate'r and the hot-air box for drawingatmospheric air through the air-heater and forcing the heated air into said box, and a system of heating-pipes extended horizontally through the separated heat distributing chambers between the fruit-support and the hot-air box, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a fruit-evaporator, of a series of heatdistributing chambers arranged side by side in a horizontal plane and separated from each other, a hot-air box extending continuously under the heat-distributing chambers and having separate com-v munications therewith, an air-heater located outside the hot-air box and having communication with one end thereof, means for forcing atmospheric air to fioW through said air-heater into the hot-air box, steam heatingpipes extended through all of said separated heat-distributing chambers, and a fruit-supporting rack arranged over the latter and above said steam heating-pi pes, subsian tiall y as described.

The combination, in a fruit-evaporator, of a series of heat-distributing chambers arranged side by side and separated from each other, a system of steam heating-pipes extended horizon tally through all of the heatdistributing chambers, a fruit-supporting Arack arranged over the latter and the steam heating-pipes and constituting the top of the evaporator, a hot-air box extending continuo'usly under said chambers and having its top Wall provided with valved openings to place it in communication with said chambers, an air-heater located outside the hotair box, and an air suction and forcing appa` ratus connecting the said air-heater with one end of the hot-air box and serving to draw atmospheric air through the air-heater and to force the heated air int-o the hot-air box, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a fruit-evaporator, of a series of separated heat-distributing chambers arranged side by side, steam heating-pipes running horizontally through all of the heat-distributing chambers, means for supporting the fruit above said chambers and steam heating-pipes, a hot-air box extending under all the heat-distributing chambers and having a series of openings in its top Wall, slide-valves for placing any or all of said openings in communication with said chambers or cutting off such communication,

an air-heater located outside the hot-air boxy and having air-heating steam-pipes, and an air suction and forcing apparatus connected with the air-heater and the hot-air box, for drawing air through the air-heater and forcsrs ing the heated air into the hot-air box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PLATT B. VIELE. lVitnesses:

HENRY B. ALLEN, GILBERT H. REYNOLDS. 

